The gaiwan is by Hong Seong-Il, courtesy of Tead Off--and the first gaiwan I've ever actually owned. Normally I shy away from them for fear of scorched fingers and the fear of-horror of horrors--dropping a lid or worse. But this one was so beautiful I couldn't resist! My gaiwan-handling still isn't all that elegant, but it's very finely made, with just the right amount of lid-fit and lip on the cup.
This is a cup found on a road trip up to the local tulip festival. Sadly, we saw no tulips--they were early this year, and all that was left was bare fields. But in a little art show off the beaten path in Rexville Grange, I found this lovely cup by Dinah Snapes Stevens. She had other work that was more eye-catching, but I really liked the the subtle colors in this one--it reminds me of walking along the water's edge on a beach.
